Protective container



Lmwos M. MILLER TJROTECTIVE CONTAINER 0m., 3E, w3@

Filed June 2l, 1938 2 SrzeeiiS-Shee?l l ZZZeT" t. 3l, 1939 M MELLER PROTECTIVE CONTAINER Filed June 2l, 1938 Patented Oct.y 31, 1939 N UNITEDsTATE-s v PROTECTIVE CONTAINER. Morris Miller, Boston, Mass.

Application June 21, 1938, SerialNo. 214,901

2 Claims.

This invention relates to flexible containers' for silverware, wearing apparel, or other articles, especially those made of metal or having metal ornaments or parts which are likely to be tarnished upon continued exposure to air; and the principal purpose of the invention is to provide a convenient, portable receptacle which may be made in various attractive sizes and shapes for the desired purpose, which has an cuter covering substantially impervious to air or moisture, and an inner lining of soft fabric briey treated with a preparation which eliminates the sulphur or oxidizing agents of the dies used in coloring the material, and which has a handy closure effectively sealing an opening of the container.

A further object of the invention is to provide a receptacle or bag of this type especially adapted for the uniforms of .military or naval ofcers, equipped with a novel form of hanger for sus- I pending the garments therewithin.

Recommended embodiments ofthe invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, but `it will be understood that the size and shape of the containers herein illustrated and the structural details thereof may be varied to suit particular purposes without departing from the essence of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side view of a container or bag in- I tended primarily for holding silverware, portions of the lining and covering being broken away to illustrate the interior construction there,- of.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the silverware bag with the mouth partially opened.

Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged fragmentary sections on lines 3--3 and 4 4, respectively, of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a side view of a garment bag made in accordance with this invention, a portion of the outer covering being broken away at one corner thereof.

Fig. 6 is a central vertical section taken throug the bag shown in Fig. 5, and

; Figs. 7 and 8 are enlarged sections taken on lines 'I-l and 8--8 of Figs. 5 and 6, respectively.

In the particular embodiment chosen for the purpose of illustration in Figs. 1 to 4, the improved container is of a shape and construction for holding silver tableware, and comprises two side pieces each consisting of a lining I I of felt or other fabric, and an outer covering I2 of oiled silk or other pliable waterproof material. vThe' margins of said materials are inturned along the bottom and ends of the bag, and the inturned mar- (Cl. 15o-3) gins of the respective side members thereof are brought together with the margins of the outer covering in juxtaposition, and stitched as indicated at I3 in Fig. 3. A binding strip I4 is applied over the rough edges of the inturned margins and 5 secured thereto by stitching I5. The two side members of the container are thus joined together (except at the opening or mouth thereof) by seams which prevent the admission of air or moisture therebetween. 10

At the top or mouth of the b-ag, theupper margin of the lining is turned outwardly over the oiled silk covering, as indicated at I6 (Fig. 1), and secured by rows of stitching I'I, one row of which may also serve to attach the tape of a strip of slide fasteners I8, inside the mouth of the bag. These fastenings are interlocked by a slider I9 in accordance with/,the usual practice of opening or closing fasteners of that well known type. By turning the lining outwardly and stitching it as above described, the mouth of the `bag is reinforced against wear or strain and a firm foundation is afforded for the operation of the slide fastener. It will be understood that" the tapes or strips upon which the interlocking fastener elements are mounted, are brought into close juxtaposition when the fastener is closed, thereby effectively sealing the mouth of the bag against air or moisture. f

The interior of the bag ispreferably provided with a series of pockets or compartments 20 for separately holding one or more pieces of silverware; and these pockets may conveniently be formed by looping and stitching an additional strip of lining material I2 to the main lining II 35 on each side of the bag, the pocket forming stitching being shown at 22, and the marginal stitching for the pieces 2I being indicated at 23.

The bag linings II and the pocket-forming strips 2I are preferably treated during their proc- 40/ ess of manufacture with reagents which remove the oxidizing agents of the dies used in coloring the material, so that they will have no tarnishing action upon the silverware contained in the bag; and experience has shown that a bag constructed as herein described will keep silverware in an untarnished condition over extremely long periods of time as compared with the ordinary felt rolls or other receptacles which have heretofore been used for that purpose. This desirable result is due not only to the special fabric which is preferably used for the lining but also, in large part, to the waterproof covering and the efficient means herein described for connecting the two sides of the container and for closing its mouth.

The extremely small percentage of air which can enter the bag through the slide fastening is relatively ineffective and has a negligible tarnishing action upon the contents of the container.

It Will be evident that the Waterproof covering l2 may be produced in placing color designs or otherwise decorated so that the container will be attractive in appearance as well as serviceable in use; that the bag may be stored flatvvise in a drawer, or folded if desirable to occupy a small space; and that larger articles of silverware (which will not fit within the interior pockets) may be placed in the bottom of the bag between the two sides thereof.

In the form of garment bag shown in Figs. 5 to 8, the container is constructed substantially as above described, except that it is of a size and shape adapted for uniforms, suits or other articles of wearing apparel, and that its opening is along one end rather than at the top. As in the silverware bag, the article has two side pieces each consisting of a fabric lining 3! and a waterproof covering 32; and the inturned margins of the two side pieces are joined together at in the manner previously described; the opening of the container being constructed and equipped with slide fastener members Sli as aforesaid.

A wire frame comprising a doubled cross piece or bar 35, extending along the top of the bag on the inside thereof, a hook 36 projecting through the closed seam at said top for hanging the bag in a closet, and a depending loop 3l' for supporting any usual types of garment hanger within the container. This frame may, as shown, be made of a continuous piece of stout wire, and its horizontal bar portion is preferably secured in place by lrnotting around the bar cut out pieces 3S of the binding tape 3G which extends along the Vtop side and bottom of the container, as shown in Fig. 6.

The interior of this bag may also be provided with pockets for accessories, such as the belt pocket "il and the glove pocket 1112, formed by stitching additional pieces of felt to the lining on eitheror both sides of the container.

A garment bag thus constructed is peculiarly suitable for holding uniforms of naval or military officers which usually carry braid and insignia of gold or silver which quickly tarnish upon exposure, especially on shipboard or along the seacoast. Such uniforms are `invariably expensive to purchase and also to maintain in proper condition unless they are afforded the protection of a container such as herein described when they are not in use.

It will be apparent that other clothing or equipment of the user-whether or not tarnishable-may be placed in the bottom of this garment bag or hung from the loop 37' of the frame, and it will be understood that individual bags, similarly constructed, may be provided for special articles suoh, for example, as an oflicers hat. When not used for storing articles, the flexibility of the improved protective containers permits them to be folded into small compass and the pliability of the oiled silk covering prevents it from becoming cracked or damaged when folded or crushed.

I claim:

l. A protective container of the character described, comprising side members each consisting of an inner lining of fabric material and an outer covering of substantially waterproof, pliable sheet material, the margins thereof being inturned and secured together with the margins of the waterproof covering juxtaposed, around the closed edges of the container, an opening in one edge thereof, and fastening means for tightly closing said opening, a margin of the lining being turned outwardly at said opening and secured over the outer covering around the mouth of the opening, thereby to reinforce the same and provide a firm foundation for the fastening means, said fastening means comprising slide fastener elements mounted on a tape stitched to the outwardly folded margins of the lining, inside the mouth of the container 2. A protective container of the character described, comprising side members each consisting of an inner lining of fabric material substantially free from oxidizing agents which would tend to tarnish the contents of the container, and an outer covering of substantially waterproof, pliable sheet material, the margins thereof being inturned and secured together with the margins of the waterproof covering juxtaposed, around the closed edges of the container, an opening in one edge thereof, fastening means for tightly closing said opening, and a binding strip of the same fabric material secured over the rough edges of said inturned margin.

MORRIS MILLER. 

